Typewriting machine



Dec. 29, 1931, J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed June l5, 1928Patented Dec. 17931 'rasY iasgiz er 'rear vPrien 5 i FISHER CGMPANY, OFll-EVSV YCRK, E; Y.,'A CORPRATION 0F DELAVARE frYrnwnrriiis iniicriinnApplication filed June 15,

This invention relates to work-holders for cylindrical platens oftypewriting machines,

`the main object being to provide means-for Conveniently and quicklyvinserting and positioning sinall'stiif cards of special shapes.V

In telephone-transinitting equipments it is customary to employ a cardupon which is printed the number of the telephone. 1 These cards have avariety of shapes. Tt is an ob- Vject of the invention to provide meansfor typewriting the numbers upon the cards, one feature of the inventionbeing an improved means for holding these exception ally shaped lcards'and feeding Athe same on the round platen, and for typing manycards'during one line of typing or one vtravel ofthe typewriten,

carriage. l

`The device is ofthe front-insertion order, i

inwhich 'the Vwork` is inserted Adownwardly at the front of the platen.Tt is inserted downwardly into a work-holder that lies close to thefront of the platen and extends 'from end to end thereof, and is fixedto the platen. This work-holder, or clip, has at its top edge I' anundercut extending to the depth of about a quarter of an inch, leaving aslight space between the work-holder and the platen into which thebottom kedge'of the card is thrust downwardly7 the bottom of the cutserving as the bottom gage for the card and tru-eing the card relativelyto the printing line.

To aid in presenting the card properly to the work-holder there isprovided upon the platen-carriage a bar extending along the platen andseparated a little therefrom sufficiently to allow the freeinsertion ofthe card downwardly behind the bar and in front of the platen, the barandthe platen co-operative to form a chute `for the introduction of thework-piece downwardly into the card-` bottoni edge first, between theintroductory barV and the` platen and descends into the,

ieee. serial no'eeaea.

Vpocket of the clip-bar. l The platen is then rotated b'ackwardly,together with its clip and JLSSE A. B. SMITH, OF STANFORD,CNNECTICUT,'ASSGNC-R T0 UNDVEBFV00DV LLVOTT theV card, to Vbring theproper point of the wcrlzto` the printingiline, and then the nurnber istyped upon the card, thev chuteQb'ar and the clip co-operatingto bendthe card :firmly v against the platen, to givea` good backing fortliecardvfor receiving the,typeblows. VV-hile the card at first setsdown loosely into the pocket formed al'cng'the top edge vof theclip-bar, still it will'beunderstood that by turning theplatenbackwardly the clip operates vtobend the 'card a trifle around theplaten, and thereby a firm grip is securedupon the card, so that it isnot in danger of becoming displaced during the typing operation. t.'This grip increases 'with' the backward travel ofthe platenThetypewriting machine may be provided with afset of 'exceptionallylarge types for prntingthe numbers veryfplainly.`

' One of the advantages of the invention is that manyicar'ds can beplaced side by side in position uponthe platen` and then, by turning theplaten back, all the cards are dropped to bring themto printingposition. Then' all of the cards can be typed during a-single run of thecarriage, and then all taken out preparatory to inserting a freshquantity of cards. Y Y Y Y Any hindi ofirregularlyshaped cards can beinserted, land someof them are illustrated. vThe invention lis alsoserviceable for the downward introduction of-other work-pieces, such asenvelopes and small sheets, and in all cases the advantage gainedis thealignment ofthe work-piece relativelyto the printing line withoutattention from the operator, who

has only to press the workpiece down until it reaohesthebottom of thepocket in the cardclip. y Y 7 l/Jhen writing a number oftelephone'nuinber cards, the device can be employed that vusuallyreleases theplaten from the control of the linespace wheel. The platenis then turned downwardly to bring the Vcard into proper s position fortyping while the `platen remains released. Then the platen, isreconnected to thelinefspace wheel. Then when typing any quantity ofsimilar cards,fit is only necessaryV to insert the card and turn theplaten backwardly for a given number of notches, whereupon the card willbe brought automatically into proper typing position Without adjustmentof either `the card or any part of the typewriter-carriage. I j

The device is useful for front or downward insertion of small stiffwork-pieces. A work-clip is fixed 'upon the platen to be rotatabletherewith and is normally located below the typing line. It is effectiveto hold and gage the lower extremity of a 'Work-piece. A stationarymember is rigidly mounted upon the platen-frame in close relation withthe platen-surface 'above the'typing line, to hold `the upper part ofthe ismallworlz-piece down upon thel platen, thisdco-'operative way asmall stiff Icard is securely held and `tiered bach upon the `front ofthe platen for a vlirni support at thetyping operation.

, In positioning a plurality of similar: cards alo'i'ig the platen, `aform ofclip is preferred which 'extends from 'end to end of the platen,and has an undercut along its entire upper' edge to Areceive and f'gafgetherein Vthe lower estre`` ties of a line' of work-pieces. Above thetyping lin'e is a bar extending from end to end o'f tlfiepla'ten-frame.AA .plurality of Acards may be introduced positioned by` a -singlesweepof the platen, the numbers written during one travel of the carriage,and the cards discharged again by returning the platen: A l l Thestationary holding'membermay be adjustable 'upon the platen-frame toVary the :clearance Yofthe paper Aintake for proper cooperation withsaid4 clip when the wor-hpieces Yare being inserted. j

Se'ttable gages may c o-opera'te with the holding device, to'laterallylocate the work- A"pieces in a :predetermined manner along the platen,for (1o-operation with settable carriage-stops, to quickly posi-tionVthe workpieces at the printing point. Y j y rllhe settablegages mayform chutes arranged along the platen, by means of which a lin'e of:irregularly shaped work-pieces may befquiek-ly positioned.

An Aordinary rtabulating mechanism successively brings 'the work-piecesto the Aprinting point for a single-line entry thereon.

@ther features advantages will hereinafter appear.

l-n the accompanying drawings. Y j

`Figure 1 shows the novel work-holding ldewice as applied tothe platenand the carriage-frame, respectively, of aV standard maehine, a line ofsmalleards being lined up in l preliminary position along the platen andready to 4be shifted simultaneously down to the ltyping line. j j

Figure 2 isa cross-section taken of Figure 1, and shows `more clearlythe Yprocedure vof inserting agplurality-of sma'll work-pieces, ac-

cording to the novel method, whereby the Vshown connection with movablepaper-cli) is shown as shifted to proximity with the stationary bar orguiding member above the typing lin-e.

Figure 3 is similar to Figure 1, parts being broken away, to merelyindicate the final position of the work-pieces relative to the typingline.

Figure l is a cross-section of Figure 3, showing the means to hold thesmall and stilil work-pieces above and below the typing line upon theplaten-surface, for a single-line entry.

Figure 5 is an enlarged diagrammatic section, showing conditionsprevailing at the preliminary stage of inserting small stilllwork-pieces, and disclosing that the lower end portion of the cards,while loosely seated behind the clip and the stationary member, isgiyena slight crosswise tension upon the j ilfaten-su'rfaee, so as to enablethe work- -pieces by friction to be carried down to the typing line wnenthe platen is backed up, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6 shows in detail a work-piece of special shape, being of lowerheight than those lshown in 4Figures 1 and 3, to indicate an occasionwhich requires a change in the set-ltiiigfb'y operating .the line-spaceclutch.

'The frame of the platen-carriage is indicated to include the sid-es 10in which is journal-ed shaft 11 of an ordinary rotary `platen 12. Theprojecting left-handend of v"the platen-shaft ris shown to carry awellknown line-space wheel 13 with the associated d'e'ten't-member 14,as Vfound in standard machines. The line-space wheel is clutch orfractional line-'space Vmechanism15, such as is disclosed in the patentto Helmond 1,148,167, dated July 27, 1915. This clutch permitsjtheline-space wheel -to be dscon'nected from 'the platen-shaft, so thatthe platen may be freely rotated to adjust aworl-pieee thereon to acertain reference line. while the linespace wheel is held stationary bya usual detent roller 1 6 resiliently mounted upon the platen-frame.rllhere is also shown` for purposes hereinafter to appear, a tabulatingmechanism known inthe art and indicated merely7 by fplungers 17 liftableupon the stationary machine-frame, as at 18, to eo- 4operate withsettable stops 19, the stops 19 bei-ng settable upon -the rack-bar 2Owhich normally forms part or". the travelling platen-carriage. Thetabulating mechanism vordinarily serves to jump the carriagepredetermineddistances, to quickly position rertain columns at thejiu-mixing point.

The novel work-hold; r

device shown to be used for lthe preferred purpose of positioning a'line of irregularly shaped cards, for instance number cards, such as'are employed upon the mouthpieces of telephones.

The-entry is a single-line entry and may 'be Y that the. card-holder beturned upwardly with'the platen (see Figure 2) to proximity made uponall the cards during one run of the carriage. y

The device travels with thecarriage and includes. a clip e fixed uponthe platen to be rotatable therewith and effective to hold` the lowerextremities of the work-pieces, and a stationary member rigidly mountedupon the platen-frameV to hold the lwork-pieces vdepth to receive andhold therein small front-inserted work-pieces, such as shown in the.form of an envelope 23 (in dot and dash), or in the form'of a line ofsmall number cards 24 and 25. AAs the work-pieces are thrust downwardlyinto said undercut, the' bottom of the cut will serve as a bottom Vgagefor the cards, and true the same relatively7 to theprinting line. Thebar 21 lis formed at each end with a side arm 26 having slots 27 toengage over flattened hubs 28 of thevv platen-shaft. A latch 29 ispivoted at 30 upon each side arm and has a hook 31 to embrace said hubto securely attach the cardholder to the platen. A finger-piece or lug32 provided upon an opposite extension of said latch serves to unlatchthe card-holder from the hub. An arcuate slot 33 in the latchco-operates with a pin 34 upon the side arm to limit the movement of thelatch.

There are also shown another pin 35 upon.

brackets being mounted upon the top. of they sides 10 of theplaten-frame and having` depending portions V4() to `locate said bar 37above the typing line and in proximity yto the platen-surface.connections 39, 39at between the brackets and the supportingplaten-frame, the intake clearance may be altered to suit the characterof the work-pieces, and for proper co-operation of the intake with theclip or card-holder. Y j

The novel card-handling method provides with the stationary bar 37 toform therewith a pocket or groove in which aline of cards, as shown at24 and 25, is to be primarily seated and positioned.

The diagrammatical detail Figure 5 shows the lower extremities of thework-pieces in slightly curved condition flexed upon the Due toscrew-and-slot the'bar 37 to'be used for platen while held in thearcuate undercuty 22.

- This slightlytensioned condition oers "sufficient friction" upon theplaten-surface to subsequently carry the work-pieces down to theprinting line when the platen is backed up in the direction of thearrow, as shown at FigureV 4, andwh'en said work-pieces are pulled downunder the guidanceof said Astationary bar 37. It will .be understoodthat the grip upon the platen increases with the backward rotation ofthe platen, thereby `securing'a firm grip upon the card, so that thelatter is not in danger of becoming displaced during the typingoperation. Since said bar 37 is in fixed position upon the platen-'frameit will not move under the tension of the flexed 4stiff cards, and atype-bar 40a will find a firm backing at the printing line. f

From Figures 4 and it will furthermore appear that the card-holdingportions of the devices are spaced from the platen-surface and disposedrelatively to eachother, so as to allow the upper and lower ends of thecards to slightly flare away from the-platen-surface, while theintermediate portions, d'ueto the stiffness of thecards, are tensionedupon theplaten. y

J When writing a number ofv telephone cards, the above-mentioned clutch15 canbe employed. After releasing the platen from the control of theline-space wheel, the platen may be turned downwardly to bring the cardsinto proper position, when" the platen may be reconnected totheline-space-wheel. `Now the .card-holding deviceis so conditioned thatwhen typing any quantity, of similar cardslit is only necessary toinsert thecards and turn the platen backwardly for a given number ofline-spaces, .whereupon the cards. willt be brought' automatically intoproper typing positionwithout adjustment' of either 'the cards or anypart'of the typewriter-carriage. It is also'possible to use .anyv otherknown means for predetermining the required platen-sweep inorder'jto'facilitate `and, speed up positioningof the cardsA f AVfurther eXpedientin thepresent card- Y handling method provides side`gages 41 settably mounted upon said bar 37 foreach work-piece 24, 25,.-,One'pair ofside gages" may form an individual chute for each workpiece,ea'ch gage having a slot-and-screw Vconnection142, 43'with Vsaidbar`37,'so` as to be laterally adjustable uponthe bar tofit Vvari-` ablesizesV of work-pieces, and particularly' to'aid in positioning cards'of'irregular shape. At 44 are shown .additional tapped holes u'pon saidgages 41.

' "According to another feature, the chutes'or i' gages maybe arrangedand adjusted to lat- `erally predetermine the" location of"each aldifferent set-up of rfi pieees, fisvthus-positioned at the typing line,the tabula/ting meohanisinmay he oper- `ated"tof'suocessively bring eachWork-piece to the` printing point. This` combination; adds ,toi-thetinievand labor .saving qualities et the device. y

Variationsinay be resortedfto within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may he used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

` le Inaftypewritingmachin-e having a earringe iixcluding platen-frame,the combination with .a1 rota-ry platemiot means for positioning smallrelatively :still Work-pieces thereon for typing, including a paper-clipupon said platen rotatable therewith, to hold the lower extremity of asmall Work-piece, and `a stationary member rigidly mounted Y upon theplatone-frame `allieve the typing line and spaeedfrom. the platensurtaceto allow free insertion of a Work-piece and to hold the upper part ofsaid Workpiece flexed down. upon the platen when rotated back- Ward.

Q. vIn a typewritng machine, having a laterally traveling carriageincludingl a platentrame, and having tabulating instrumentalities, thecombination with a .rotary platen, of means for quickly positioningsmall 'workpieeesat the-*printing point, said means in- -clud'ing a.cli-p engaged upon the platen to he rotatable therewith,andfedective,by `co-operwith the platen-surface, .to hold the lower edge offrontinserted worlifpieces, a

stationary barspaeed from the platen and above the typing line mountedupon the platen-frame, and' eifective to hold the upper part ofaWork-p-ieeefdovvn uponthe 'fpla'tem and. settaloleggages associatedwith said bar to laterally predetenmine the posi- Ation of a work-.pieceso that thetafbul-ating -inechan'isln may jump the Seairiage .to 'posiftion the Work-.piene .at the .printing point.

` typing line .parallel ther-oto, and l'eflieotive to hold thework-pieces upon the platen, and :settahle `gages for the Work-'piecesmounted upon 41sai-d har isofas to laterally centime the work-piecesthereon, said gages (io-operative with said clip in properly positioning-the y Workfpieced said bar Zh aving :a :row vof 'spaced holes,.iand:sai-.d gages being `arranged in pai-rs,

one pair for each card, eachy gage having a slot extending lengthwise ofthe bar, and individual fastenin devices passing through said slots andlancl ored in said holes, for receiving the gag-es Where adjusted.

4. In a typewrting machine, having :i carriage including aplaten-f1a1ne,the combination with a rotary platen, of a .device forconveniently positioning aV line of small work-pieces to be arrangedalong the platen for typing the same during onetrayel of the carriage,said devioeincluding ,a clip ixed upon the platen Vand effective to gripand to seat the lower extremities of the Work-pieces, a har mounted uponthe platen-frame above the typing line, and a pair ot side gages foreach work-piece, to he adjustably mounted upon said har, to formindividual chutes to lit the Work-pieces to be inserted therein and .tobe sea-ted when the `clip is raised to proxim

